I need you guys to help diagnose my problem -- When I turn the key I hear a click, but nothing turning over. After several attempts does it turn, and when it does starts up fine.

Does this sound like a starter issue? It doesn't appear to me as a battery issue. The problem started after having brought in my car to a garage for a tune up, where they washed my engine bay, cleaned my distributor, etc. The wiring to me appears OK, but I'll check again more closely tomorrow. Are there any other things I can visually inspect?

thanks in advance!

 

I had the same problem a few months ago. I thought it was the starter itself or possibly my crummy alarm/starter kill, but it turned out to be a loose wire. I even took out the whole starter and took it to AutoZone for a free test. It fired right up.

So I went home and put it back in, and once I was done hooking up the wires, everything is fine again. I think the one wire with the spade type terminal was the culprit. Make sure all your wires are hooked up right and you should be able to fix it.

 

pull out the starter and take it apart and clean it up. IT takes like an hour to do. Definately related to the starter-

 

check the ground wires and also the wiring to the battery and to the starter... if it happened after the shop washed down your motor maybe they got some of the electrical connections wet or snagged one loose or something while they were wiping or drying it... take it back to the shop and see what they can do... tell them it happened after they washed your motor and did your tune-up...

 

Well your symptoms indicate that its a problem with your starter... if it was a loose wire then why would it start up after couple tries rite?? Honestly, i understand your concern since you had just gotten your engine bay detailed and everything, but there is no explanation for why it eventually starts to work. Maybe i'm missing something.

However, i had the same symptoms as have many and the # of tries to start will increase with time, until finally it won't start. I had mine replaced and the problem was gone. But the cost of the starter is over 100. At least when i shopped around it was. the new oem part is like 200+ but you can get a rebuilt one from like autozone and such for under 200 for sure. As for me the lowest price i found at that time was around 145-150 but i actually met a guy who worked at a garage that had hookups with a starter remanufacturing company. And i got mine replaced with a rebuilt for 160 installed. But either way good luck. Maybe it is something simpler than that and you can save that money, but i seriously have a feeling its the starter.

 

Well you know.. That One CLICK that you heard is the Starter Solenoid..

Is it a Starter Problem?.. Who knows.. You better do some tests. Since you just had a tune up. My best guess would be loose connections or dirty. To check, just give the cables a quick little tug. And yes, a loose or dirty connection would cause intermitent (can't spell) problem.

But if you believe that everything's clean, I'd take my trusty hammer and bang on the Starter a few times. There's a good chance that if Carbon Brushes are worn, they'll jiggle and come in to contact with the (I believe, not sure, can't remember) Slip Rings. And voila, your problem is worn Carbon Brushes.

Well whatever you do, good luck..